This is a reminder I use now and again when I feel a little fear.

I suppose the biggest news at this point is that after 2 ½ months of chronic back pain I seem to be well again. I actually had the confidence to go out kayaking this morning. A short one, maybe a ½ mile out but I did do two egresses and returns into the kayak (sit on top) and a bit of snorkeling. Right now my back feels fine so I am more hopeful than ever that this episode of physical discomfort is over.

On the 10th I had my first scorpion in the trailer. No big deal, I’ve had as many as 6-8 in a year and this is the first in 2 years. Found him in my sink in the morning….annihilation! I’m at 93 cosmically challenged Scorpions since the 17th.

Right now I am sitting on the roof of my dear Q’s home, looking out to Sea (binocs ready), Vodka at my side, music on my iPod…..and I know, as “Suzy Q” starts playing (the music playing when I hit my “Stride” on Mescaline for the first time), that my Whale People are coming!!! HooHah!!! Yeah, I’m definitely feeling better. AND I have a SWEETHEART!!!

Here’s a shot of my new Spiny Tailed Iguana friend Gomez in front of his house. He’s lost his adolescent green and is launching into REPTILE WORLD, so cool!

Gomez

Now, every now and again I see something on FB or sent to me by someone that REALLY cracks me up. Don’t know exactly why but this one, well, for me I “laughed till I cried”. Don’t know what it will do for you but check it out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeKSiCQkPw

On a bit more “awesome” level, check this out….the glory of nature, why I became a biologist (is that what I am?)
http://www.dogwork.com/owfo8/

The other day I took my camera down to the beach in case I might see something “special”, hah! Check these shots! I am blessed!!

Caracara

Looking North

Texture

Plover

Stick Insect

And how do some people in this world deal with their connection with this GRAND, BEAUTIFUL experience? Watch and know, THERE IS ANOTHER WAY!! BTW: this is an “UPPER”!
http://www.snotr.com/video/7331/The_Living_Bridge

Well, I got my 15 minutes of fame, two paragraphs in a slick magazine in La Paz for my “Orca Swim”. Page 32-33
http://issuu.com/paradisemags/docs/paradise_magazine_ba_10aa56

So, not only has my work for the last 7 years (eighth season coming up…HOT DOG!!) helped initiate an MMPA, it appears that our work indicates there are more Humpbacks than we thought. They are coming back after all those years of killing them (1500 in The Entire North Pacific in the 60's). I am on my knees with gratitude, I face the Eagle Nierca to The East and The Arch Angel Raphael, The Divine Healer who also resides there, and the tears stream, I have done something, I am content!!

Grateful and HAPPY, see why below
http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-10-higher-endangered-humpback-whales-north.html

None of this would have been possible without every and ONE of you. May The Great Mystery embrace you as I would.

And on a completely different note....how about those 49er's? As a kid in the 50'sI used to watch them practice at Keasar Stadium in SF and I am still a fan!

Apparently my Spiny Tailed Iguana land partner found a mate some time ago because I have seen, only briefly, two very young STI’s near Bub’s place. I really enjoy having them about and I hope the young ones take up residence here. This one has been named Gomez by my Sweetie, it was perfect and cracked me up. He’s a little hard to see in the photo but it was the best I could get without harassing him.

Gomez

Finally got to see The Mexican Curandero (healer) in Santiago. Here’s a part of the story.

Since I had been to the Curandero's home twice before (without luck finding him home) I made it there in record time and caught him before he was.....showered and shaved!! When I walked up to the house, he looked out the upstairs window (with shaving cream on his face) and called down, hola. I replied and asked, are you the Curandero? This is all in Spanish form this point on. He said yes and when I asked if I could see him today, he said yes and would be down pronto. Waiting in his front yard was an elderly Mexican man and we struck up a conversation while we waited. This man lived in Cardonal years ago and now lives in LB. An old Caballero (cowboy). He was there for some foot work.

When The Curandero, Rubin Burro, came out he was a surprise. Not the old, grizzled wise man I expected but a nattily dressed younger (50's?) man in a baseball hat. A little chunky, about 5'8", lots of dark black hair, nice smile. I explained the problem and he took me right away into a small room downstairs with a single bed and a hard backed wooden chair. No dark abode with shells, bird wings, incense etc. As plain a small room as you can imagine. There went my imaginary classic "Curandero". He had me take off my shirt and lie on my stomach on the bed. He put his hand on my neck and immediately said, "ah, malo (bad), malo". As he worked his fingers down my spine he found EVERY hurting place I had and a couple I didn't even know about. At each one he pushed deep with his fingers and kind of "shoved" stuff around. Then he had me sit in the chair and messed with my right arm a bit, found two more REALLY, REALLY sore places and brought me almost out of the chair when he moved some of that stuff around. Then he took my head and cracked my neck loud enough I'm sure for the neighbors to hear.

On my stomach again and same routine with him saying, "bien" (good) and "mejor" (better). Back in the chair again, same routine. Back once again on the bed. Then he said to come in again tomorrow because today was to "open" me up and tomorrow we "heal". All in all I would say it was about like going to a Chiropractor but I did feel something else going on too. Maybe just wishful thinking. I know way better than to think that the pain can just be relieved, Curandero Power" or not. $18.00 American dollars.

So there you have it. I was all ready for a quasi-mystical experience (perhaps with some sacred mushrooms) so am somewhat deflated. Nevertheless, I am hoping that tomorrow will be a breakthrough. Right now there is a fair amount of pain due to his ministrations. Not a surprise.

That's it, he said NO exercise today so back to reading NGM again (ALL the books have been read, big delivery on the 18th Oct).

BTW, it is now the 10th of Oct. and I am definitely on the mend from the refrigerator episode…..NEVER AGAIN.

Having not been out in my kayak for a couple of months I had another visit from my “Pangero” Vicente. If he doesn’t see me around for a week or so he always comes over to see if I am all right. Makes me feel real, real good to have someone in The Village checking to see how I’m doing. Vicente has of course become more than just a friend. He is my partner in the study of The Humpbacks here and has become a true Whale Aficionado.

Mi especial amigo, Vicente Lucero

Due to our severe lack of rain this year (only ONE tropical storm so far) the insects didn’t get their full season of reproduction. My least favorite animal, the fly, has been almost non-existent, same with mosquitos. The BoBo’s (gnats) were pretty much gone a week ago and were nothing like last year. Truth to tell, all in all we get VERY little in the way of insect problems here on the East Cape anytime…..just too dry, it’s desert after all!

I have continued to hunt Scorpions and am up to 76 killed since June. There are over 1700 species of scorpion in the world and only 25 that are lethal….ours aren’t. Nevertheless, as I have said before, they are not welcome around the property. They eat other Arthropods and are in turn eaten by birds, lizards, mice, rats and centipedes.

Did some laps on the 4th to see how my back would react….not good but I did see a beautiful Zebra Moray Eel and a Green Panamic Moray as I was swimming. The Sea was very flat, perfect temperature and very clear; I could not resist the swim. I also saw lots of baby fish in the shallows.

Zebra Moray Eel, not my pic

Green Panamic Moray Eel, not my pic

Isn’t this a wonderful sculpture? I love it, so very evocative of human life at this time.

"Freedom", not my pic

Did another kayak on the 6th but my back STILL not up to it. I so need an “ADVENTURE” out in the WZ but I can’t risk re-injuring the back…..DAMN!!!

Me and "Haldjas", The Estonian Goddess that protects us from harm

Nights started cooling off on the 5th and news of a hurricane (Jova) moving our way. Last prediction however carries it well to the SE of us so maybe not even any rain.

Jova as of an hour ago

Went to the itinerate chiropractor again in Los Barriles and I think I am now truly on the mend. Ironically I could have paid for some men to come and do the heavy lifting work that started the problem with all that I have spent on pain killers, chiropractors, Curanderos, Doctors and gas. Something to think about!

I know that my Humpback friends are starting to return already and I would sure like to be out there in The WZ to greet them and take a swim with them. You have no idea how that “powers” me up!